Protected Cropping in Warm Climates: A Review of Humidity Control and Cooling Methods

Barkat Rabbi, Zhong-Hua Chen and Subbu Sethuvenkatraman
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Barkat Rabbi: School of Science and Health, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia
Zhong-Hua Chen: School of Science and Health, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia
Subbu Sethuvenkatraman: Energy Centre, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), 10 Murray Dwyer Circuit, Mayfield West 2304, Australia

Energies, 2019, vol. 12, issue 14, 1-24

Abstract: The projected increase of the world’s population, coupled with the shrinking area of arable land required to meet future food demands, is building pressure on Earth’s finite agricultural resources. As an alternative to conventional farming methods, crops can be grown in protected environments, such as traditional greenhouses or the more modern plant factories. These are usually more productive and use resources more efficiently than conventional farming and are now receiving much attention—especially in urban and peri-urban areas. Traditionally, protected cropping has been predominantly practised in temperate climates, but interest is rapidly rising in hot, arid areas and humid, tropical regions. However, maintaining suitable climatic conditions inside protected cropping structures in warm climates—where warm is defined as equivalent to climatic conditions that require cooling—is challenging and requires different approaches from those used in temperate conditions. In this paper, we review the benefits of protected cropping in warm climates, as well as the technologies available for maintaining a controlled growing environment in these regions. In addition to providing a summary of active cooling methods, this study summarises photovoltaic (PV)-based shading methods used for passive cooling of greenhouses. Additionally, we also summarise the current humidity-control techniques used in the protected cropping industry and identify future research opportunities in this area. The review includes a list of optimum growing conditions for a range of crop species suited to protected cropping in warm climates.

Keywords: greenhouse horticulture; plant factories; climate-control systems; cooling technology; humidity control; energy use (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (11)

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